The Blue Cross Bowl is less than three weeks away. Nine Knoxville area
teams remain as we head into the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

6A

#2 Dobyns-Bennett (12-0) at #1 Maryville (12-0)- Two of the state's best programs battle down in Blount County. Maryville has the most all-time state championships at 14 while Dobyns-Bennett sits right behind them with 13. Dobyns-Bennett hasn't won a title since 1964 while Maryville has won seven in the last decade.

#6 Tennessee (8-4) at #1 Powell (11-1)- The Panthers have been strong all year, despite having to replace their head coach and the program's all-time leaders in total offense in Dy'shawn Mobley and Dustin McPhetridge. It helps that the Powell defense deploys the program's all-time leaders in interceptions and sacks- Jonathan Strozyk and Shar'ron Moore.

#3 CAK (11-1) at #1 Alcoa (11-1)- This rivalry really intensified last season when CAK beat Alcoa in the regular season and knocked the Tornadoes out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals, ending their seven-year reign as state champions. Both of those games were played at CAK. Alcoa took this year's regular season meeting, 31-28 at home and will host the rematch as well.

Alcoa converted two-point attempts on each of its first three touchdowns.Warriors receiver Davis Howell broke his thumb in the first meeting but still managed to haul in two touchdown receptions in the second half. Jaquez Tyson scored the go-ahead TD for Alcoa and helped wind down the clock in the fourth after the Tornadoes defense stopped Charlie High and company on fourth-and-4 in Alcoa territory.